How to change the default browser in Windows 11

3 years ago 298

Changing the default browser is much challenging successful Windows 11 than successful Windows 10. But you tin inactive bash it. Here's how.

With Windows 11, Microsoft has altered the steps for changing your default browser from Edge to a antithetic program. A process that's comparatively elemental successful Windows 10 is much confusing and cumbersome successful Windows 11. But don't springiness up. You tin inactive displacement your default browser. Changing the default to Firefox is the easiest enactment arsenic Mozilla's browser offers a built-in method. Changing to Chrome oregon different browser is much progressive but inactive doable. Let's spot however this works.

SEE: Windows 11 cheat sheet: Everything you request to cognize (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

First, let's accidental you've installed Firefox, Chrome oregon a antithetic browser and privation to marque it the default alternatively of Edge.

Firefox

We'll effort Firefox first. With mentation 91, Mozilla improved and eased the mode you tin marque it your default successful Windows. Open Firefox and marque definite you're moving mentation 91 oregon higher. To check, click the hamburger icon successful the precocious right, prime Help and past prime About Firefox. The browser volition either archer you that it's up to day oregon it volition download the latest update.

Restart Firefox aft the update has installed. Again, click the hamburger icon and prime Settings. At the General conception of the Settings screen, click the Make Default fastener (Figure A). Firefox past tells you that it's presently your default browser.

Figure A

Google Chrome and different browsers

To alteration the default browser to Google Chrome, unfastened Chrome, click the three-dot icon successful the precocious right, and past spell to Settings. At the Settings screen, prime the conception for Default Browser and past click the fastener for Make Default (Figure B). You're whisked distant to the Default Apps surface nether Windows 11 Settings. To alteration it for different browser oregon adjacent Chrome, simply spell straight to the Windows 11 Settings screen, navigate to Apps, and past prime Default Apps.

Figure B

But present lies the challenge. In Windows 10, you tin easy alteration your default browser with 1 action, and it volition alteration for each web-based record types, including htm, html, http, https etc. But successful Windows 11, you person to alteration each record benignant separately.

Scroll down the Default Apps surface and click the enactment for Google Chrome oregon immoderate browser you privation to acceptable arsenic the default. The adjacent surface volition amusement you Edge arsenic the default for virtually each record type. Click the archetypal benignant that you privation to alteration from Edge, astir apt HTM. Of course, Microsoft volition effort to impede your efforts by trying to person you to instrumentality with Edge. Click the fastener for Switch Anyway (Figure C).

Figure C

Then take your caller preferred browser, either Chrome oregon thing else. Click OK (Figure D).

Figure D

Use the aforesaid steps to alteration the remaining record types presently acceptable to usage Edge arsenic the default. At a minimum, you'll privation to alteration the default for htm, html, shtml, xht, xhtml, ftp, http and https (Figure E).

Figure E

The erstwhile steps volition enactment for the accustomed web-based record types but not for each content. Click connected a nexus from the Windows 11 widgets screen, for example, and Microsoft inactive opens the linked leafage with Edge. There is simply a workaround, acknowledgment to a third-party inferior known arsenic EdgeDeflector. Launch immoderate browser but Edge and browse to the GitHub leafage for EdgeDeflector. Download and instal the program.

Go backmost to the Windows 11 Settings screen, prime Apps, and past prime Default Apps. Scroll to the bottommost of the surface and click the nexus for Choose Default Apps By Link Type. Scroll down until you spot an introduction for MICROSOFT-EDGE. Click that introduction and prime EdgeDeflector. Click OK (Figure F).

Figure F

Now unfastened the widgets app and click a nexus for a quality communicative oregon different item, and it volition unfastened successful your existent default browser.